1 June 2026
Press
Interview with with Nicola, Chief Designer of MICAD
Francesco Fiorentino, a cornerstone of MICAD for over fifteen years, holds a strategic position where engineering analysis meets the physical reality of the shipyard.
We continue our journey behind the scenes at MICAD. Today we meet Nicola, Chief Designer and a historical pillar of the team, who reflects on fourteen years of evolution, international challenges, and the seamless integration between technical rigor and aesthetic development.
Q: Nicola, you have been with MICAD for nearly 14 years, witnessing its transformation from a small studio into an international reality. How does it feel to look back?
N: It is an incredible feeling. I have been with MICAD for almost 14 years and have experienced every phase of its transformation: we started as three people in a small studio and today we are an international reality with two offices, including the one in Trieste dedicated to Research and Development. Seeing the company grow, move through three different locations, and become a globally recognized name has been like watching your own creature grow. In the beginning, we all did a bit of everything; today each of us has been able to specialize and define their role, finally allowing me to hold the position I studied for.
Q: In your daily work as Chief Designer, how do you manage and ensure the cohesion between naval engineering and styling?
N: In our company, engineering and styling are never separate departments meeting only at the final stage of a project. The real challenge lies in synchronizing the technical aspect and the aesthetic vision from the very early conceptual phases. When addressing superstructure geometries or interior layouts, every styling line is immediately validated against structural integrity and manufacturing feasibility. This constant cohesion ensures that the vessel’s visual identity is inherently robust, high-performing, and free from functional compromises.
Q: How do you coordinate the practical balance between ergonomics, aesthetics, and feasibility during the development phases?
N: My role is that of a design “director”. I coordinate activities related to ergonomics and feasibility, ensuring that interiors and exteriors dialogue perfectly with each other. We work in an extremely close-knit team where creativity is the main driver: even if the object is always the “boat”, each project is a challenge in itself, with different problems and original solutions to be found. It never gets boring.
Q: MICAD collaborates with major global players, from the Netherlands to Finland. Which international experiences have influenced your professional growth the most?
N: Collaborating with shipyards in the Netherlands, leaders in mega-yachts, or personally following projects in Finland was fundamental. I still remember the trips to Northern Europe: these are experiences you don’t expect but that open your mind. Relating to different construction cultures allows you to discover new realities and constantly raise the bar of quality. Today we are proud to be an Italian excellence esteemed by the largest international shipyards.
Q: The company strongly believes in investing in younger generations. What is the philosophy that defines the studio’s environment?
N: We strongly believe in the value of people. MICAD is a company that invests in its resources: if there is passion and a desire to achieve, the company offers you the tools to progress and grow your career. We were born small and we have not forgotten the importance of nurturing those with talent, because the success of the society has always been, first and foremost, the success of its team.
